Liquid-delivery apparatus



1929- G A. N. WOODCOCK 1,726,094

. LIQUID DELIVERY APPARATUS I Filed Sept- 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 27,1929. G. A..N. WOODCOCK LIQUID DELIVERY APPARATUS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ./V. liboicock Filed Sept. 3, 1.927

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UMHE stares PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. N. WOODCOCK, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PETREE & DOREENGINEERS, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF CUBA.

LIQUID-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Application filed September 3, 1927. Serial No. 217,353.

The general object of the present invention is to provide improved meansfor delivering a liquid such as lime solution at a,

measured rate which may be readilyvaried to suit different conditions ofuse. The invention was primarily devised and is especially adapted foruse in adding lime to sugar juice in definite proportions for defecationpurposes. More specifically, the object of the invention is to provideapparatus for the purpose specified, characterized by its mechanicalsimplicity and reliability, and by the ease and accuracy with which therate of lime delivery may be maintained and varied as conditions mayrequire.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,however, its advantages and specific objects obtained with its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter, in which various forms of the invention are illustrated anddescribed.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section on line 11 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 8 is an elevation in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and withparts broken away;

Fig. at is a partial section taken similarly to Fig. 1, and illustratinga modified construction;

Fig. 5 is a partial section on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial section on line 66 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, and referring first to the construction shown in Figs.1, 2 and 3, A represents a tank serving as a receptacle for the limesolution or other liquid to be supplied at a definite rate. Dipping intothe liquid partially filling the tank A is a rotating member B carriedby a horizontal shaft B journalled in the tank structure and rotated ata proper rate, as by means of a belt running over a drive pulley Bmounted on the shaft B When used to defecate sugar juice, the pulley Bis advantageously belted to a drive pulley on the grinding mill toinsure the proper relative speeds of the mill and member B.Advantageously, the tank A is formed as shown with a removable upperportion forming an enclosing hood for the member B.

The rotating member B comprises a disc B secured to a hub memberfastened on the shaft B Secured to the front side of the disc B adjacentits periphery, are buckets or measuring receptacles C C G etc. Thesebuckets are each in the form of hollow cylinders, one end of which isbolted or otherwise secured to the disc B, and the other end C of whichis formed with an opening at C specially shaped for a purposehereinafter described. A slot is formed in the cylindrical wall of eachbucket. Each bucket, as it passes through its uppermost positiondischarges its contents into the upper receiving end D of an inclinedchute or trough D. To insure that all of the liquid so discharged willenter the upper end of the trough or chute D, and that none of it willrun down the disc B, the side 0 of the bucket slot over which the liquiddis charges is advantageously formed with a shoulder C adjacent the discB which proj ects above the main portion of the side C in the dischargeposition of the bucket The opening C formed in the front end wall G ofeach bucket, is so shaped that the amount of liquid held by the bucketwill not depend on the height of liquid level in the tank, providedthere is enough liquid in the tank to charge the bucket when the latteris at its lowermost position. To this end the opening C is formed with acircular portion so curved about the axis of the bucket that as eachbucket moves from its lowermost position into its discharge position,the distance from the bottom of the bucket to the level C at whichoverflow through the opening C can occur, is constant. This featureis'of special practical importance because of the fact that in theoperation of such apparatus it is not practically feasible to maintainthe lime solution or other liquid to be delivered at a constant level inthe tank A. With a fluctuating liquid level the buckets, if not formedwith the special overflow openings (3, would hold more liquid as theymove above the liquid level in the tank A when that level is relativelyhigh, than when it is relatively As shown, the trough D is secured atits ends to the tank structure, the upper end of the trough extendingthrough the :tront wall of the hood portion A. The trough D, which has awide, flat bottom, is provided with means whereby a greater or lesserportion of the liquid discharged into the upper end of the trough by thebuckets C C G etc. may be passed to each of two outlets E and F, and thebalance returned to the tank. To this end vanes or deflector fingers Gand g are adjustably mounted within the trough. These vanes divide theliquid coming down from the upper portion of the trough into threestreams, one stream passing to the outlet E, one to the outlet ii, andthe third stream passing to an opening 1) through which the excessliquid is returned to the pool in the tank A.

As shown, the vane G is mounted on a shaft G journalled in and extendingtransversely to the top and bottom walls of the trough. An arm Gsecured. to the shaft G and carrying a set screw G which may be screwedinto an engagement with the top wall of the trough, forms a means bywhich the vane G may be secured in any desired angular adjustment. Thevane G co-operates with a stationary trough partition G at the lowersine of the vane to form the corresponding wall of the channel leadingto the outlet E. The vane 9 may be exactly like the vane G and is shownas having asso ciated with its parts g g g and g" corresponding to theparts G G G and G respectively. To facilitate the adjustment of. thevanes G, the top wall of the trough D is provided with a hinged coversection D A hinged cover section D is also pro vided to permit access tothe outlets D, E and F.

To even the downflow of the stream of liquid and insure its properdistribution across the width of the trough D, a spreader plate H islocated in the upper portion of the trough D and binge connected at H tothe top wall of the trough. The lower ec ge oi the plate H is held at aregulated distance above the bottom wall of the trough by a threaded pinsecured to the plate and passing upward through a slot D in the top wallof the trough, and a nut H threaded on said pin and engaging the troughtop wall. A special advantage of the spreader plate arrangementdescribed is that it may be lifted up for cleaning purposes withoutdisturbing the adjustment oi? the nut H The apparatus shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3 possess important practical advantages for its intended use. Itsconstruction is simple and durable, and it is reliable and effective inoperation. The measuring buckets ca well be made out of galvanized sheetiron with the parts welded or riveted together so that the cost ofbucket construction and renewal is relatively small. The capacity of theapparatus may be varied through wide limits by changing the number ofbuckets carried by the disc B Practically the only limits to the numberof buckets tobe used are those imposed by the size of the disc B whichlimits the maximum number of buckets which can be used, and thedesirability of arranging the buckets so that the revolving member isproperly balanced. WVith the described buckets there is no significantvariation in the rate of delivery due to variations in spillage, or tothe extent to which the buckets are filled with varying liquid levels inthe tank A, such as have interfered with the ellectiveness of apparatusof this general type heretofore employed.

The character of the construction is such as to minimize interferencewith operation by the inevitable incrustation when lime or likesolutions are handled. By making the hood A removable, and by providingthe hinged trough sections 1) and D the removal of incrusted lime andother clean ing operations can be readily carried out when necessary.The provisions of the adjustable flow dividing means, including thevanes G and g, in the trough D, permit of ready adjustments from time totime to compensate for changes in sugar juice composition or otherconditions making it desirable to vary the relative proportions of sugarjuice and lime added thereto. It will be understood that lime solutionor lime and water may be supplied to the tank A in any usual or suitablemanner, and that means for injecting air into the liquid in the tank Aor for otherwise agitating the liquid may be provided as is usual, butas these features form no part of the present invention, I have notthought it necessary to illustrate and describe them in detail.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have illustrated a trough DA differing from thetrough D of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in the character of the stream dividingmeans associated therewith. In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the two outlets E and Fare connected to chambers EA and FA located beneath and extendingtransversely to the flow chamber in the trough DA. The chamberEA is openat its top to said flow channel through a port E the length of which maybe varied by adjusting a plate like member E which forms a movablesection of the floor of the trough. The plate E projects through a slotformed in the end wall 01 the chamber EA. The plate E may be adjusted inthe direction of its length by means of a screw shaft E working in athreaded opening in the end wall of the chamber EA and swivelled in carsE "formed at the under side of the plate E and provided at its outer endwith a handwheel E The chamber FA is similar in construction to thechamber EA, and by adjustment of the screw F, the plate F associatedwith the chamber FA is adjusted to vary the length of the port F throughwhich the lime'passes from the trough DA into the chamber FA.Advantageously and as shown, the ports E and F are located at. theopposite sides of the trough, and

one side portion of the liquid stream flowing down the trough DA passesthrough the port E to the outlet E, while a second side portion passesthrough the port F to the outlet F, and the central residue portionpasses from the bottom of the trough back into the tank A. With eitherconstruction illustrated, an overflow connection I, shown in Figs. 4 and5, may be employed to limit the maximum height of liquid level in thetank A.

WVhile in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I haveillustrated and de scribed the best forms of my invention now known tome, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may bemade in the form of the apparatus disclosed with- ,out departing fromthe spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims, and thatcertain features of the invention may sometimes be used with advantagewithout a corresponding use of other features of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus for delivering liquid at a measured rate comprising a wheelrevolving about a horizontal axis having a plurality of buckets spacedabout the axis of the wheel, each of said buckets having a body portioncurved about a horizontal axis and having a lateral discharge openingthrough which the bucket discharges as it passes through an upperportion of its path of movement and having an end wall opening, themargin of which is curved about its said axis so that the amount ofliquid held in the bucket as the latter rises above a body of liquidinto which the bucket is dipped by the rotation of the wheel is notvaried by a change in level of said liquid body.

2. Apparatus for delivering liquid at a measured rate comprising a discrevolving about a horizontal axis and having a plurality of bucketssecured to one side of said disc, and spaced about the axis thereof,each of said buckets having a body portion curved about a horizontalaxis and having a lateral discharge opening through which the bucketdischarges as it passes through an upper portion of its path of movementand having an end wall opening, the margin of which is curved about itssaid axis so that the amount of liquid held in the bucket as the latterrises above a body of liquid into which the bucket is dipped by therotation of the wheel does not vary with a change in level of saidamount of liquid, the edge of said lateral opening over which thedischarge takes place extending from the end of the bucket remote fromsaid disc nearly but not quite to the latter.

3. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a tank, an inclineddelivery trough located above the liquid level in said tank, rotatablemeans for passing liquid at a measured rate from the lower portion ofthe tank into the upper end of said trough, adjustable means fordividing the liquid passing downward through the trough into streams ofregulated relative proportions, and means for separately withdrawing oneor more of said streams from the apparatus and for returning another ofthe streams to the liquid body held in said tank.

4. Apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid holdingtank, delivery trough located above the liquid level in said tank, meansfor passing liquid at a regulated rate from said tank to the inlet endof said trough, one or more vanes pivotally mounted in said trough andeach adapted to divide the liquid passing through the trough intoseparate streams, the relative proportions of which depend upon theadjustment of the vane.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid holdingtank, a delivery trough, means for transferring liquid at a determinedrate from said tank to the inlet end of said trough, said trough havinga wide, flat bottom, means for dividing the liquid flowing through thetrough into streams, the relative magnitudes of which depend upon theirrelative widths, and means interposed between the last mentioned meansand the inlet end of the trough for uniformly distributing liquid overthe trough bottom, said means comprising a spreader plate and means forholding the free edge of said spreader plate at a pre-. determineddistance above the bottom wall of the trough.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid holdingtank, a measuring wheel journalled in the tank structure to turn aboutan axis above the tank liquid level, said wheel being provided withbuckets dipping into the liquid held in the tank as the wheel isrotated, a hood enclosing said measuring wheel, an inclined troughextending through the front wall of the hood into position to receiveliquid discharged by the buckets as the latter move through the upperportion of their path of movement, said trough having 7 its body portioncovered, means associated with the trough for dividing the liquidtherein into a plurality of separate streams, said means including partsexternal to the trough for varying the relative proportionsof saidstreams.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid holdingtank, an inclined delivery trough located above the liquid level in saidtank means for passing liquid at a regulated rate from said tank to theupper end of said trough, a plurality of trough for proportioning theamount of liquid passing down said trough to each of said outlets.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of NewYork, this thirty-first day of August, A. D. 1927.

GEORGE A. N. WOODCOCK.

